First Google Tablet?

Even if this supposed Google Tablet is said to run Google’s SSD-only Chrome operating system, we always feel the need to report on it as it’s a very important fork in Android’s side: Google’s not done much to help the growing tablet market surrounding Android (not yet, anyway), but a ChromeOS-enabled tablet would help fill that gap Google’s probably been wanting to fill to compete against the rest of Apple’s mobile computing stronghold (if we’re excluding their laptops, of course).

It’s said that Google and HTC are partnering up to design this tablet. HTC previously stated they didn’t have interest in introducing a tablet into the already-flooded Android pool (even if most of those tablets have yet to be released), but they didn’t say anything about ChromeOS. According to Download Squad’s unnamed source, the tablet would be 3G-enabled and headed straight for Verizon with the following specs:

Tegra 2 Chipset

1280×720 (720p HD) MultiTouch display

2GB of RAM

32GB SSD

WiFi, Bluetooth, and 3G for connectivity

Front-facing webcam

All of this would be making its way to shelves on Black Friday (November 26th this year) – the biggest shopping event of the year for Americans – to draw in the crowd that loves to splurge, according to the source. We’re wondering if Google ever has any intention on “showing ‘em how it’s done” on the tablet side of things for Android, if this rumor turns out true. They accelerated their smartphone market forward with the introduction of their self-coined “superphone” Nexus One, but when there’s an obvious desire for Android tablets (with many manufacturers – including the big smartphone players like Samsung and Motorola looking to bring their own slabs for Big Red – drumming up to a flood of releases by the beginning of 2011) why not take that market with the same approach?

I’m certainly not mad about Google wanting to introduce a Chrome-equipped tablet – anything to push technology forward is highly appreciated on my end – but many manufacturers have struggled with trying to adapt Android for tablets and this just seemed like the perfect opportunity for Google to inject some of that awesome Nexus-like elixir to further spur development. Is this to say that there will never be an Android-based, Google-contracted tablet? Absolutely not: we can’t even confirm this particular rumor as it stands, but consider this a hopeful plea for Google to remember that they can do the same for Android-based tablets as they did for Android-based smartphones, and that would put one hell of a swing into things for a lot of different parties involved.